Fintech is booming – but regulation, risk, and trust will decide who wins
Rapid growth in South Africa’s fintech sector is giving way to a tougher phase shaped by regulation, competition, and the race for customer trust.
Industry News
FirstRand won’t challenge FCA motor-finance redress scheme
The group rules out litigation, despite maintaining that the scheme is unfair and disproportionate.
Santam shifts core insurance systems to the cloud
The move of its Guidewire platform marks a change in how policies and claims are processed and managed.
High Court reinforces CPA: conduct, not contracts, determines liability
The judgment shows that misleading representations and failing to disclose material facts can ground liability, regardless of contractual terms.
Trip cancellation cover: what it pays, and what it won’t
Understanding the limits of cancellation insurance is key to avoiding unexpected losses on non-refundable travel bookings.
Does force majeure still apply when sanctions make performance illegal?
The rise of sanctions is testing force majeure clauses, with outcomes hinging on drafting precision and legal context.
Draft AI policy scrapped after fake citation findings
Minister Solly Malatsi pulls the draft framework following confirmation that it includes unverified, likely AI-generated sources.
Discipline, not distress: South Africans rethink how they spend
From weight-loss drugs reshaping grocery spend to online betting redefining entertainment budgets, South Africans are spending more deliberately – and differently.
ConCourt ruling expands GAAR reach and raises investor risk
A wider interpretation of ‘party’ under GAAR means even commercially sound participants may face SARS’s scrutiny in multi-entity transactions.
The massive stock market rally: do not throw caution to the wind
Sentiment has turned very bullish, leaving equities exposed if earnings or geopolitics disappoint, says Ryk de Klerk.
Tax Court clarifies VAT treatment of cashback and fee rebates
The Court finds that cashback credits reduced the original fee, rather than constituting payment for a separate supply by customers.
Tribunal dismisses R824 000 claim over delayed fund credit transfer
The FST rejects the member’s loss calculation based on assumed money market returns, affirming that the fund’s rules limit accrual to bank interest.
Death claims test trustees as section 37C meets real-world complexity
From disputed dependants to contested deaths, trustees are judged on how they investigate and explain their decisions.
glu declares first member profit share after launch year
The R1.78m payout reflects both underlying performance and a founding-member booster designed to accelerate early value.
Behaviour outperforms income in financial well-being measure
The Franc Wealth Index finds that financial planning, emergency savings, and consistent investing are most closely associated with stronger financial outcomes.
Audit quality strained by weak judgement and rising tech risks, IRBA finds
Inspections highlight persistent gaps in professional scepticism and the growing challenges of integrating technology into audits.
SARB revises near-term inflation higher, shifts rate bias amid oil shock
Baseline inflation is seen peaking at 4% in Q2, with scenario analysis pointing to possible rate hikes if second-round effects emerge.
